Euronext is one of the largest European markets for the exchange of stocks, bonds, and other investments. It was created in 2000, when the stock exchanges of Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris merged. The following year, Euronext purchased the Lisbon Stock Exchange. Euronext provides a single transaction system across international borders. It developed in response to the introduction of the euro currency and the demand for increased unification of European markets (see Euro ). In 2006, Euronext shareholders accepted an offer to merge the company with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In 2007, the holding company NYSE Euronext was created from the merger of the NYSE Group, Inc., and Euronext N.V. The company NYSE Euronext operated Euronext and the New York Stock Exchange and owned a percentage of the Qatar Stock Exchange until NYSE Euronext was acquired by IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc. (ICE) in 2013. ICE sold Euronext in 2014, and Euronext again became an independent company.
Euronext has several indexes that represent different market segments. The Euronext 100 traces the price movements of 100 blue chip stocks. Blue chip stocks are stocks issued by well-established corporations, usually with a high market value. Other Euronext indexes include the Next 150 index for stocks below the top grouping and the Next Economy index for high-technology stocks.
See also Investment ; Stock ; Stock exchange .
